AN ANDOVER company has adopted a revolutionary packaging technique that provides a sustainable solution to the increasing home delivery needs in the UK.

Test Valley Packaging, based in Andover, is working in partnership with evoPAP to introduce a brand-new material into its’ packaging portfolio: RAW (Reusing Agricultural Waste) Packaging.

Made from agricultural waste from sugar cane farms across India, the card and paper made by Test Valley Packaging will be available in a number of different formats for a wide range of packaging products.

This will include cartons, printing paper, and mailing bags, with room for innovation to expand to void-fill and paper bubble-wrap.

The bi-product of this commonly grown crop is a sustainable solution to escalating packaging demand.

India’s climate mix of sunshine, warm temperatures, and precipitation has provided perfect growing conditions for sugar cane since ancient times. Before now the huge amount of sugar cane waste generated was simply discarded by farmers who had no use for it.

The manufacturing process is exactly the same as that of wood pulp which is used for paper and cardboard production and does not consume any more energy. 

It also provides a vital additional income for farmers, without the need to resort to deforestation. Each year 15 billion trees are harvested around the world – 60 per cent of which is used to manufacture paper and cards.

Although replanting targets remain high, only 5 billion trees are planted per year which is nowhere near enough to replenish what is taken.

Test Valley Packaging claimed it is the first supplier in the UK to manufacture this revolutionary product.

The firm said the new technique has been independently tested and proven to perform to exactly the same high-quality standards as wood-pulp-based card and paper.

Test Valley Packaging said RAW packaging is graded using GSM, can be produced in both brown and white finishes, and demonstrates an exemplary print finish.

Sales Director Ruth Lowe said: “As a leading packaging provider, we wanted to do something revolutionary in our industry. We are so excited about being able to offer Reused Agricultural Waste as a replacement for paper, this product will literally change the future of packaging for our planet.”